Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland has numerous trails winding through Eucalyptus and Redwood groves with some excellent views of Oakland, mountain biking opportunities, and a wide variety of hikes to discover.

A gorgeous vertical hike along the Cataract Falls Trail on Mt. Tamplpais in Fairfield, CA. Seemingly endless waterfalls cascade along this wooded out and back trail. The hike ends with gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean overlooking Bolinas.

Skyline to the Sea Trail was one of my first non-sierra backpacking trips. Wasn’t sure how it would compare. While it may be true it’s missing the rugged mountain panoramas, it makes up for it with beautiful plant life everywhere and a diversity of terrains. This is a fairly lengthy 35 mile trail that I did in 3 nights.